My 2020 Position

One of the main reasons I ran was to tackle the issues I saw affecting our community while working as a criminal defense attorney over the last 20 years. I proposed increased funding for the family peace center to increase resources for survivors of domestic violence and create a comprehensive plan to support those affected in our community.

I also wanted to increase state support for Problem Solving Courts that specialize in particular groups of people. Right now in Winnebago County, there are Problem Solving Courts for veterans, people with mental health issues, and people who suffer from drug addiction. Each one of these groups is able to receive specialized support that saves taxpayer dollars and reduces the likelihood of them re-offending. I also want to secure resources to expand these courts to cover more groups. The groups are as follows: 

• Community Courts, which would work with low-level, nonviolent offenders, 

• Domestic Violence Courts, which would work with the Family Peace Center to provide streamlined and effective services to survivors

• Homelessness Courts, which would help homeless people access services and get them off the streets

What I’ve Accomplished

I have voted for and sponsored a number of bills that make our community safer including prohibiting the sale of unregistered ghost guns (HB 4383), increasing support for law enforcement officers through state-sponsored childcare, and increasing mental health resources and by putting more officers on the street (HB 1568, HB 3863, HB 1571). I also sponsored legislation that automatically implements a no-contact order between people convicted of criminal sexual assault or abuse and their victims (HB 0734).

Future Plans

I plan to continue tackling crime in the community by supporting police and supporting policies that stop crime at the source. I will continue advocating to increase resources for problem-solving courts and the family peace center.